Brazil was a beautiful, deeply affirming experience, and not just because I got to travel with the homie, Akwaeke.
The Black Feminisms Forum truly changed my life. I had numerous soul-nourishing encounters not just in the main forum events, but also in the cafeteria, by the pool, during the spontaneous parties… Women are truly magical, and I will always be grateful for all the Black, queer, trans, Indigenous, sex worker etc. warriors who I was blessed to meet in Bahia.
Besides all of the learning and connecting I was able to do, the forum also gave me my first go at facilitating a workshop on feminist writing, which was a humbling experience. And I will never forget all of the dancing we did, especially at the closing party where the all-female percussion crew Dida and DJ Lynnee Denise showed out.
I will always be grateful to AWID and the working group of the BFF, especially Amina Doherty, Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah and Valerie Bah, for making that magical space possible for me and so many others. Especially since I finally got to meet the inimitable Sokari Ekine!